Socialist Leader for CNN: Bulgarians Can't Stand It Anymore

Protests in Bulgaria are not only about austerity, but about returning power to the people and holding new elections, Socialist opposition leader told CNN as the government of his arch rival resigned.

Bulgaria's Socialist leader and former Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev talked to CNN's Richard Quest as Boyko Borisov government stepped down amid energy price protests.

Asked what fundamental change he would make to the austerity that is necessary for Bulgaria if elected at the upcoming elections, Stanishev said:

"The protests were not only about austerity and about the social price paid by the people. Indeed in the last years and under this government (center-right GERB government) people were impoverished. All the problems of the economy and the budget were resolved at their expense. People simply can not stand it any more."

"The protests are not only about austerity. They are about returning power to the people and against their plundering. And they want elections."

The anchor struck back, pointing to the unpalatable fact that whoever is in charge will have to maintain the same level of austerity. Stanishev had this to say:

"Bulgaria has always been with very stable fiscal positions. Before the crisis, during my government, we had budget's surpluses. What is needed now is restart the economy, support the small and medium-sized enterprises."

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